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Disclaimer: Zootopia and all related characters are owned by Disney.
A/N: A special thanks to Cimar/WildeHopps for taking a pre-posting look at this crazy one-shot.
…..
"Wow, Carrots. You look great."
Nick looked over his beautiful bunny the same way a jeweler would take in the Hope Diamond. Judy was wearing a dark blue cocktail dress, black foot covers, and the silver necklace that Nick had given her for her birthday, a purple carrot with green emerald leaves. Judy was a sight such that Aphrodite would cry with jealousy.
Nick, on the other paw, was wearing black slacks, a solid blue dress shirt, and, because he couldn't resist, a carrot print tie.
Judy went up to her tod, and gently loosened his tie and unbuttoned his top button. Patting her handiwork down with her soft paw, she suddenly pulled him into a hug.
"I don't want to go."
Nick returned the hug, and then pet Judy's ears for a few heartbeats, "You have to go, it's the only way to get your mom to stop setting you up on blind dates."
Judy sniffed, "I know," and then rubbing her muzzle into Nick's chest she moaned, "she swears this guy is the one, and as soon as I see him, I'll fall madly, passionately in love with him, fireworks will go off, angels will sing, and we'll be mates by the end of dessert."
"And she gets more grandkits," added Nick.
"Yeah."
Nick loosened the hug and then wiping a tear off Judy's cheek, he quietly said, "On the upside, as long as you go out tonight, that's it, she never sets you up again." Nick brushed his thumb over the silver carrot and sighed, "That's kind of worth it, I guess."
"I love you."
"I love you too, Judy."
Fully releasing his bunny, Nick shook himself a little, "Maybe I'll tell my mom tonight. She likes you. If she doesn't lose her mind, then maybe we go to Bunnyburrow and talk with your parents."
Judy cringed, "I want to, I'm just not sure how they'll take it." And then stomping her foot once, she yelled at herself, "I'm such a wimp, I should have told them when we were there last year."
"Hey," Nick pulled Judy back into a hug, "that was on both of us. I was just as wimpy as you were."
Judy huffed, "Yeah, you were pretty wimpy, you changed the subject every time any of my sisters talked about their boyfriends."
"Right, but did you see the pitchfork hanging over the fireplace, the one with all the notches carved into the handle? It just screamed out, 'Boyfriends beware, enraged father lives here!'
"You know that was probably my dad's idea of a joke, right?"
"And all the silhouettes of bucks with targets on them?"
Judy rolled her eyes, "Dad hasn't shot any of my sister's boyfriends in at least five, no three years."
Nick went over and looked out the window of their shared apartment, "Your Zuber will be here in a few minutes."
Pulling on a wrap, Judy replied, "I know. Say 'Hi' to your mom for me. I'm glad she invited you out on her special day. It's been a while since you guys have been able to visit."
Rubbing the back of his neck, Nick looked to Judy, "I don't know. She sounded weird on the phone. Today's the anniversary of when my dad asked my mom to be his mate. And she wants to have dinner with me at the same restaurant where he proposed to her."
"I think it's sweet. I'm sure she misses him, and being with you tonight will bring back happy memories for her."
"I suppose," Nick mumbled. And then spying a car coming down the street, he said, "Your ride's here."
Judy bounced over and gave Nick a quick kiss, "I already know this is going to be a short date, so make sure you're ready to console me tonight in bed, okay?"
Nick smirked, "Yes, ma'am."
Walking back over to the window, Nick watched as Judy got in the small car, waved at him through the open window, and was gone.
Checking his watch, Nick went into the bathroom to give himself a final once-over, he had about five minutes before he had to leave to meet his mom.
…..
Nick walked into the lobby of Chateau Peccary and looked around. As many restaurants as he'd snuck into over the years, he'd never come here before. It had an authentic old-world charm to it, maybe if the food was decent, he'd bring Carrots here. Heck, his dad had asked his mom to–
"Good evening Sir, may I help you?" asked a finely dressed skunk pig.
"Hi, I'm here to meet Mrs. Wilde."
The Maître d' smiled wide at Nick and, with a slight bow, said, "Of course, Mrs. Wilde is expecting you, this way, please."
Nick followed the jovial pig, had to be the owner, into the main dining room as he looked around taking in the décor.
"Sir, your table."
Nick sat in the offered chair and allowed the Maître d' to place a napkin on his lap before looking across the table at the backside of a menu being read by his–
"Carrots?"
"Nick?" said his beautiful bunny as she set her menu down, "What are you doing here?"
"I was going to ask you the same question. This is supposed to be my mom's table."
"No, it can't be, my mom reserved this table for my date and I. He's supposed to be here any minute."
Before either Nick or Judy could say anything, the skunk pig was attending to them, "Madame, Monsieur, your dinner is served. Paw crafted by the finest cooks in the city."
And a flurry of activity later, two dishes had appeared in front of the surprised couple.
They both looked up at the Maître d' and then back at their plates.
"Please, sample so that I might tell our chefs if their dishes please you."
Judy shrugged, took a bite of the carrot souffle and… "Ohhhh, mmmm, this is so good, it's just like my mom used to make."
Nick looking away from his now gushing bunny, took a bite of his honey baked, stuffed salmon and… "Oh, wow, someone must have bribed a recipe out of my mom, only she knows how to make salmon taste this good."
"Very, good. I shall return momentarily with the champagne."
The pig turned to go but was stopped by Nick. "Champagne is for celebrating, we aren't celebrating anything. Actually, we're supposed to be meeting other mammals here tonight."
"Ah, you need something to celebrate, very good," said their host as he clapped his hooves together. A second later another, younger pig, rushed out and handed a stack of envelopes to his father.
"Let's see," reading the outside of an envelope, "A birthday, perchance?"
"No," replied Nick.
Reading the next envelope, "A graduation from the Police Academy?"
Judy shook her head, "Nope."
"Arresting two Mayors, and saving the city?"
Nick smiled, "No, we've already celebrated that."
"Falling in love?"
Judy blushed, "No, we celebrate that a few times a week."
"Sometimes twice a day," whispered Nick.
"Nick!"
Chuckling, in a dignified fashion, the Maître d' took the last envelope, opened it, and gave each of his guests a set of index cards. "Well then, only one celebration left, please enjoy."
Nick watched as their host left and then looked around the restaurant. It was quieter than he was used to, but…
"Nick, my card has the number two written on it, so I think that means you're supposed to go first."
"Really?"
Judy smiled, "Why not, what else is there to do while we wait for your mom, and my date?"
Nick flipped over his first card, "You are probably wondering why I asked you here tonight."
Judy turned over her card, "Yes, yes I am."
Nick raised a brow, and then read from his next card, "As you know, my dear, aged mother, whose only son refused to call or visit for years because he was so dense he thought she needed his hustling money more than his hugs, has been waiting for me to tell her about my wonderful girlfriend, but I've been too chicken to admit anything no matter how many times she's tried to worm it out of me."
Chuckling, Judy read, "Well, I haven't been honest with my parents either. I talk about you all the time and spend all my time with you, and it's obvious to everyone in the family that I'm ears over tail in love with you, and if I don't say something to my mom right away, she's going to come out here and whoop my, uh," Judy held the card so Nick could see it.
"I don't think you should say that last part out loud."
"Okay, your turn then."
Nick cleared his throat, "So, to hurry and get to the part where I get… oops a word was crossed out, …where my mom gets grandkits to babysit, would you, Judy–"
"Wait!" Finn rushed from behind a partition and slipped his friend a small box, "I picked it up from Guido's for you. He finished it over a month ago." And then looking at Judy, the small fox mumbled, "Totally legit, by the way," before rushing back to his hiding spot.
Judy looked around and saw a dozen pair of rabbit ears poking over various planters, counters, and from around corners, and then nodding toward two matronly females sitting in a booth, hiding behind menus, she said, "I'm thinking we're being hustled, Slick."
"Well, hustle or not," Nick set the remaining cards on the table, knelt in front of Judy and said, "I think I can handle the rest of this without a teleprompter.
"Would you Judy Hopps, make me the happiest mammal in the world and become my mate?"
Judy looked at the beautiful ring her fox was holding, white gold with pear shaped green and purple diamonds set in the shape of a heart, and quickly nodded, "Yes, yes, a hundred times, yes." And then leaping into his arms, she hugged him and peppered him with kisses.
…..
Bonnie Hopps and Vivian Wilde high-foured each other as they watched the happy new couple get swarmed over by family and friends all trying to congratulate them.
"Mom," asked a teen bunny holding a rope, "Dad wants to know if he needs to bring in the encouragement pitchfork."
"No, dear. Tell your father the kits worked it out on their own."